Innocence
by JustAGirl'xo
Summary: Will Ronnie and Jack's on-and-off relationship survive when Jack is arrested for murder?
1. Lies

**Just a small introduction to what a hope will be a half-decent murder mystery.  
Who is the real murderer? The police have managed to convince the locals that Jack Branning is guilty, but is everything really as it seems?**

* * *

Innocence

"Jack Branning, you are under arrest for the suspicion of murder. You do not have to say anything, but anything you do say may be given in evidence."  
Ronnie stared at the scene in front of her, the look on her face completely stoic.  
"Ronnie, I didn't do it. I promise," Jack insisted, struggling against the strong hold of the policeman behind him. Ronnie could see by Jack's guilty expression that he was lying. He had killed her father.


	2. Questions and Answers

"Where were you at 3:00pm on 25th December?" DCI Collins questioned, staring sternly into Jack's eyes.  
"I was out," Jack replied shortly.  
"You were 'out'… Jack, you know better than anyone how these interviews work. Simply saying that you were 'out' isn't good enough to get you off the hook," DCI Collins reminded him, "To be honest, the odds aren't really in your favour as it is."  
"Alright then. I was posting a Christmas card to my sister."  
"On Christmas Day?"  
"Yeah. I'm very forgetful. Anyone can confirm that," Jack said. DCI Collins leant back in his chair and folded his arms.  
"But can anybody confirm where you were?" he asked.  
"I didn't speak to anybody on my way to and from the postbox, but I'm sure one of the locals must have seen me. But I honestly don't think anybody would be paying that much attention," Jack replied.  
"Interview ended. Thank you, Mr Branning," DCI Collins finished, frowning at his former arch-nemesis.


	3. It's All About Family

**I understand why you prefer longer chapters to shorter ones - I'm sorry if it ruins the story for you, but I find it difficult to write long chapters. Thank you so much for your reviews.**

"I'm telling you, Jack did not kill my dad!" Roxy cried in despair. The other Mitchells, even Ronnie, were insistent that Jack was guilty.  
"Face it, Roxy. Jack's not the man we thought he was," Ronnie said, quietly. This was the first time that she had spoken since Jack's arrest.  
"I always knew he was a criminal!" Phil responded, laughing drunkenly, "But I say good on him! We're all better off without… Without Archibald!"  
"How can you say that?! Phil, he was my dad! I loved him!" Roxy fumed, tears spilling down her cheeks.  
"After all he did to us? He deserved to die!" Phil slurred. He laughed again, and suddenly fell into a drunken sleep.  
"He didn't do it, Ron," Roxy said again, turning to her sister, "He wouldn't have."  
"You didn't see his face when the police carted him off," replied Ronnie. One member of the Mitchell family had remained silent throughout the conversation.  
"Auntie Peg?" Roxy was worried about her Aunt. She had barely spoken since she had found out about Archie's death.  
"He was my husband," Peggy whispered, staring at the wall opposite her.  
"And he was our dad," Roxy pointed out, "We have to stick together. No more arguing. We'll get through it."

The memory of what she had done was etched into her brain; she would never be able to forget it. She hated herself. And now somebody else had been arrested for something that she had done. But there was no way that she could hand herself in to the police, she just couldn't go back to prison. Jack was the only person who knew what she had done. Her legs shook as she stood up, and, leaning against the wall for support, she drew in a deep breath. The past couldn't be changed; what was done was done.  
"Better get back," she muttered to herself, "They'll be getting worried."


	4. On The Edge

**Sorry this is so short, but I'm getting tired now! Thanks for the reviews!**

Roxy's head turned sharply as she heard the front door open. She breathed a sigh of relief when Sam entered the living room.  
"Thank God, it's only you."  
"Thanks for that. Who else would it be?" Sam asked, rolling her eyes.  
"She's been on edge ever since… Well…" Ronnie trailed off.  
"I hate knowing that Dad's killer is still out there," Roxy shuddered. Sam looked down at the floor, no longer able to meet their eyes.  
"They've arrested Jack, haven't they?"  
"Yeah, but he didn't do it," insisted Roxy, adamantly.  
"We don't know that, Rox!" Ronnie cried, but quickly stopped herself from saying anything else as a result of Peggy's glare.  
"Well, I don't know if he did it or not, but I'm sure whoever it was doesn't want to hurt us," Sam said, a little too certain. She left the room and climbed the stairs to her bedroom. She was trying to stop herself from crying; she couldn't do this anymore. She couldn't do it to her family.


	5. Trust Issues

**Sorry, this chapter is really bad, but I seem to have severe writer's block... Again...**

"Thanks, Patrick," Ronnie said, smiling sadly as the shopkeeper handed her carrier bag to her. She searched through her purse to find enough money to pay for her groceries, but paused as she felt Patrick's hand on her shoulder.  
"It's on me," he offered, kindly.  
"Thank you."  
"Have you had any news yet?"  
"Not yet, no…" Ronnie sighed. She was sick of the questions, even if people were just expressing concern.  
"It won't be long before they charge him. We all know he did it," Mo interrupted, suddenly appearing next to the counter.  
"Yeah, well, it depends what the police think," Ronnie replied, "I'd better get back to Auntie Peg."  
"Give her our love," said Patrick, speaking for the whole of the street.  
"I will."

As Ronnie crossed the square with her shopping, she caught sight of a familiar face disappearing down a dark alleyway.  
"Jack?" she called, running towards the man.  
"Alright, Ronnie?" Jack asked, praying that Ronnie believed that he was innocent.  
"You're… You're free…" Ronnie said in disbelief.  
"Yeah, there wasn't enough evidence to charge me," Jack informed her. It was then that he noticed the slight fear in her eyes. "You don't think I did it, do you?"  
"Well, to be honest, Jack, it's hard to believe that you're innocent. The look on your face says it all," Ronnie frowned. Jack stared at her, open-mouthed.  
"Ronnie, I swear, I-"  
"Just forget it." Ronnie began to walk away, not even able to look at her ex.  
"Ron!" Jack called after her, but there was no reply. He was fuming; not with Ronnie, but with himself. He knew who had murdered Archie, yet he had chosen to protect them. He took his phone out of his pocket, searched through his contact list and put the phone to his ear.  
"Sam? We need to talk. Now."


	6. Crucial Evidence

**As always, thanks for the reviews. I'm sure that you are all aware by now that Stacey Branning has been revealed to be Archie's real murderer on the show. I have decided to continue this story as this is how I would have written it if I was the EastEnders boss.**

Sam stared at the floor, shuffling her six-inch heels around the concrete.  
"I can't do it, Jack."  
"What do you mean you can't?" replied Jack.  
"I can't go back to prison. I wouldn't survive," Sam said, glancing up for a moment, her eyes misty, "I'm not going to confess."  
"Well then, I'll tell the cops what I saw. I'm an eye-witness."  
"Please, Jack, don't-"  
"You've got twenty-four-hours. If you haven't confessed by then, I'm going to the cops," Jack frowned, annoyed at himself for covering for Sam in the first place. He turned around and walked away from the alleyway where the two of them had been standing.  
"Jack, please!" Sam cried, dropping down to her knees. It was too late. Jack had made up his mind. "Jack!"

As soon as Ronnie opened the door, she instantly regretted it.  
"Go away, Jack," she said fiercely, trying to close the door in Jack's face. Jack quickly put out his hand to keep the door open.  
"Please, Ron, just give me five minutes," Jack pleaded. Ronnie sighed and reopened the door. In silence, Jack followed her through to the kitchen.  
"Well?"  
"I didn't do it, Ron."  
"You've said that," Ronnie pursed her lips.  
"It's the truth. I swear on Amy's life-"  
"Don't."  
"-that I didn't do it. I couldn't do that to you." Jack took Ronnie's hand in his, but she instantly pulled away. Suddenly, Jack's phone rang. He glanced at the Caller ID. Sam.  
"You going to answer that?" asked Ronnie, coldly. Still looking at Ronnie, Jack rejected the call and placed his phone on the kitchen table.  
"No-one important."  
"Some dodgy ex-cop helping you to cover your tracks?" Ronnie shook her head and left the kitchen. She hated herself for trusting Jack. He had killed her dad; she would never forgive him.  
"Ron…" Jack followed Ronnie, desperately wanting her to believe him.  
"Just get out, Jack." Ronnie couldn't even look Jack in the eye. She wiped a tear from her eye.  
"Ronnie, please-"  
"Get out!" Ronnie cried. Roxy appeared at the top of the stairs.  
"Ron, are you all right?" she asked, concerned.  
"I will be when he leaves," Ronnie murmured, obviously referring to Jack. Roxy, who was now next to Ronnie, turned to Jack. Although she knew deep down that he was innocent, she didn't want to upset Ronnie even more by allowing Jack to stay.  
"Just leave, Jack," she said, apologetically.  
"Fine. I'll speak to you later," Jack replied, defeated. As soon as Ronnie heard the door bang shut, she broke down in tears.  
"Hey, Ron, it'll be okay. I promise. It'll all be okay," Roxy whispered reassuringly, holding Ronnie in her arms. What the sisters didn't realize that Jack had left some soon-to-be crucial evidence in the house. Evidence that, unbeknown to all, could reveal the murderer once and for all…


	7. A Discovery

**Hey! Thanks for the review, Vic. Sorry it has taken me so long to update, and sorry that this update is so short, but I'm in the process of starting yet another story. Sorry again.**  
**Chloe XOXO**

It was 7pm when Roxy heard it. She recognized the sound instantly – it had been Jack's message tone for as long as she had known him. Puzzled, she went into the kitchen and saw Jack's mobile phone sat on the kitchen table, exactly where he had left it earlier that day. Curiously, she picked it up and glanced at the screen. One new message from Sam. Roxy frowned. Why on Earth was Sam texting Jack? Not feeling any guilt whatsoever, she presses the 'read' button on Jack's phone, and as her eyes skimmed through the message, a look of shock became evident on her face.  
'_Jack, I'm so sorry, but I can't do it. I'm leaving tomorrow. I can't face seeing Mum after she finds out it was me that killed Archie. Sam x_'"I don't believe it," Roxy whispered. Without hesitation, she turned around, grabbed her jacket from the coathook in the hallway and opened the door. Sam wouldn't be going anywhere. Not once the police found out…


End file.
